Airbus and Renault Group have signed a research and development agreement which aims at enhancing transversalities and synergies.
The partnership between the aerospace and automotive corporations will accelerate both their electrification roadmaps, improving Airbus and Renault’s respective range of products.
This collaboration will help Airbus mature technologies associated with future hybrid-electric aircraft.
As part of this partnership, both their engineering teams will join forces to mature technologies related to energy storage, a key hurdle in the development of long-range electric vehicles today.
The cooperation agreement will notably cover technology bricks related to energy management optimisation and battery weight improvement.
It will also look for the best pathways to move from current cell chemistries (advanced lithium-ion) to all solid-state designs which could double the energy density of batteries in the 2030 timeframe.
The joint work will also study the full lifecycle of future batteries, from production to recyclability, in order to prepare the industrialisation of these future battery designs while assessing their carbon footprint across their entire lifecycle.
Gilles Le Borgne, EVP Engineering, Renault Group, noted: “For the first time, two European leaders from different industries, are sharing engineering knowledge to shape the future of hybrid-electric aircrafts.
“Driven by the same ambition to innovate and reduce the carbon footprint, our engineering teams are exchanging with those of Airbus to converge transversal technologies that will enable both hybrid aircraft to be operated and the vehicles of tomorrow to be developed.”
Sabine Klauke, chief technical officer, Airbus, added: “Reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050 is a unique challenge that requires cooperation across sectors, starting today.
“Bringing together Renault Group’s experience in electric vehicles with our own track record in electric flight demonstrators will allow us to accelerate the development of the disruptive technologies required for future hybrid aircraft architectures in the 2030s and beyond.”